This week the Gomang Monks have been visiting Allan Hancock College in Santa Maria, CA. They are busy working on a world peace sand mandala which they will sweep away just hours after completion. My son and I have gone three times to watch their progress and sit with their peaceful focused energy. Not surprising front row access to this event has been easy to get as Buddhist are few and far between in this neck of the woods. To me this mandala crafting process was a reminder of life's inevitable changes and the impermanence of our daily sufferings. Even beautiful, time consuming, hard earned, endeavors pass away. Whoosh!!!... they are gone... blown away by the wind!
The Paradox of Our Age
We have bigger houses but smaller families
More conveniences but less time
We have more degrees but less sense
More knowledge but less judgement
More experts but more problems
More medicines but less healthiness
We've been all the way to the moon and back
But have trouble crossing the street to meet the new neighbor
We built more computers to hold more information
To produce more copies than ever, but have less communication
We have become long on quantity, but short on quality
These are times of fast foods, but slow digestion
Tall man but short character
Steep profits but shallow relationships
It's a time when there is much in the window
But nothing in the room.
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